Top global event organizers convene in Tianjin to explore cooperation opportunities in China

The 20th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO) kicked off in north China's Tianjin Municipality on Thursday, bringing together industry professionals from across the world to discuss the future of the global exhibition industry and explore opportunities for international cooperation and sustainable development.

Themed "Empowering a Sustainable Future with New Quality Productive Forces," the three-day forum has attracted over 600 industry professionals from 20 countries and regions, including China, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with participants sharing insights and discussing the future prospects of the global exhibition industry.

In interviews with China Global Television Network (CGTN), leading event organizers from around the globe highlighted that the vast opportunities presented by the Chinese market continue to draw them back to the country, stressing the significant appeal and potential of the exhibition industry.

"A lot of international exhibition companies came to CEFCO, came to China. And they brought us a lot of very international industrial exhibitions [which] widened our eyesight," said Lin Shunjie, Chairman of the China International Exhibition Center Group.

"We are here supporting it since the beginning back in Beijing in 2005. Over the last three years, I think that there are more international participants. So, it's a good way to mix and match Chinese stakeholders with international stakeholders," stated Adeline Vancauwelaert, COO of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI).

Michael Kruppe, General Manager of Shanghai New International Expo Center also emphasized that CEFCO has played a significant role in boosting the exhibition economy and creating a ripple effect that supports broader economic development.

"So, now we have what we call an economic factor. For example, our exhibitions have a factor of 12 to 1. So, one RMB spent in my venue, gives the city of Shanghai 12 RMB. Because you have visitors, they go to restaurants, they take trains, they go to catering. When an exhibition is not happening, all these revenues are not existing. And that is why I think that CEFCO and government involvement becomes more and more important. And that's also why we as stakeholders are looking for closer relations with the government and with CEFCO," said Kruppe.

Since its inception in 2005, the CEFCO has been held in various cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Macao. It has attracted tens of thousands of exhibition industry professionals from over 30 countries and regions, facilitated the launch of numerous high-quality exhibition projects, and played an important role in fostering cooperation between China's exhibition sector and its international counterparts.

Top global event organizers convene in Tianjin to explore cooperation opportunities in China

Wine companies in Italy are anxious as U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," imposing a 20-percent tariff on the European Union.

Giulia D'Alema, head of a family-owned wine business in Italy's Umbria region, is facing significant uncertainty for the upcoming wine sales season following the announcement of tariffs on EU products, including wine.

Her family's 7.5-hectare vineyard has completed its major annual tasks — trimming, tying, and weeding — to ensure healthy grape growth and a fruitful harvest.

However, despite these preparations, D'Alema is troubled by the looming threat of new tariffs on Italian wines exported to the United States.

The United States is a key market for Italian wines, with exports valued at approximately 2 billion euros in 2024 alone.

Yet, the announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump has put this vital export market at risk.

"If tariffs are imposed, U.S. importers won't be able to import my wine because selling my rose will no longer be profitable for them. I've already increased production specifically for this (U.S.) market, so now I have to find other ways to absorb this surplus," said D'Alema.

In the wine-producing region of Umbria in central Italy, it is the small and medium-sized wineries that are hit the hardest. Large enterprises can mitigate risks by adjusting their market strategies, but small family-owned businesses often rely on a single market. The imposition of tariffs creates a great deal of uncertainty for their operations.

In 2024, Italy's bottled wine exports to the United States reached 1.94 billion euros. According to calculations by the largest agricultural association in Italy, the Italian Confederation of Farmers (CIA), if tariffs prevent Italian wines from being exported to the United States, Italian wineries could face daily losses of 6 million U.S. dollars.

Trump's 20 pct tariffs on EU raise concerns for Italian wine export